A FORMER nurse at Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital was struck off after he was caught with 7,500 indecent images of children.

Gareth Youngs, 36, pictured, downloaded hundreds of images every week as he trawled the internet for pornography for more than 10 years.

He was given a four-month suspended jail sentence at Teesside Crown Court for possessing 17 child porn pictures.

He has been thrown out of the nursing profession following a Nursing and Midwifery Council misconduct hearing.

Youngs was arrested on January 13 last year when police officers raided his then home in Middlesbrough.

He admitted the charges after the pictures were found and pleaded guilty in court on March 19 this year.

Addressing the Nursing and Midwifery Panel, jobless Youngs described how his adult porn obsession grew out of his control.

He said: “Because of my addiction to adult porn, it just seemed to happen too easily. I downloaded those images - I can’t say I didn’t”.

“You have cognitive distortions - ‘it’s only a picture on a screen, you’re not harming anyone’.”

Speaking about the most serious images he was convicted of possessing, he said: “When you are downloading those files, you don’t know what’s in there. There were a lot of files I downloaded that, as soon as I saw them, they were deleted.”

After his arrest, the father- of-two moved out of the family home and told the panel he is still coming to terms with his crime.

“I know it was wrong, and the guilt that follows after seeing something like that is the thing that really haunts you,” he said.

“I haven’t been open and honest with my family, especially with regard to my wife and mum and dad.

“My family are the most important thing in my life, but I just didn’t see that before.”

The court put Youngs on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years, banned him from working with children for life, and ordered him to complete a programme for convicted sex offenders.

Youngs, who was sacked by the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said he is now studying at college, but has struggled to find work as a result of his conviction.

“Nursing, from the day I started as a student, has been my life. Caring for people is something that I’ve always been able to do without too much effort,” he said.

Colin Youngson, chairing the hearing, said despite references from nurses and a doctor, the gravity of his crimes dictate they must strike him off.

He said: “You have made full and frank admissions about the facts from the outset of the police investigation, shown remorse for your actions, and a will to ensure it did not re-occur.”

“But this is serious criminal misconduct over a protracted period of time.”

Youngs walked out of the hearing after the order was handed down before proceedings were formally closed.

“To be honest, I’ve nothing left to say,” he said.

“You can save your breath, I won’t be appealing.”

He had earlier tried to have his identity protected because of the possible effects on his family, but the panel turned down his request.

Youngs can try to have his name restored to the nursing register after five years.